About the artist

Hi, I’m Jess I’m the artist behind Navy Sloth and mum to two wonderful little girls. Based in Cardiff, I paint from a small corner of our kitchen that I’ve quietly claimed as my creative space. It may not be a grand studio, but it’s filled with everything that inspires me most – family life, laughter, and a constant connection to the garden just beyond the patio doors.

I studied Illustration over twenty years ago, where artists such as Gerhard Richter, Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko and Monet introduced me to the expressive possibilities of colour, texture and mark-making. Although my creative journey has taken a few unexpected turns since then, painting has always been the thread running through my life.

Over the past few years, I’ve been developing my own distinctive style: richly textured, semi-abstract landscapes inspired by the British countryside and the memories we carry with us. My paintings aren’t intended to capture a particular place, but rather the feeling of being there – the warmth of a family holiday, the comfort of familiar landscapes, or the quiet joy that nature has a way of giving us.

For a long time, I thought I was simply painting beautiful landscapes. It was only recently that I realised I was really painting memories. Those fleeting moments of happiness that stay with us long after the place itself has faded. The feeling of coming home. The Welsh word Hiraeth comes close, but I think it’s something even more universal: our shared longing for places, people and moments that make us feel at peace.

Nature has always been where I feel most grounded, and I hope my work offers that same sense of calm to others. More than something to simply match a room, I want each painting to become part of someone’s story – something they return to, live with and find new meaning in over time.

Alongside my art background, I also hold degrees in Environmental Management and Environmental Design of Buildings. Sustainability has always been important to me, and I believe that choosing thoughtfully made, lasting pieces – whether an original painting or a carefully produced print – is one small way we can all make more conscious choices.

Thank you for visiting Navy Sloth. Whether you’ve discovered my work through a gallery, an event, social media or simply by chance, I hope my paintings encourage you to pause for a moment, reconnect with nature, and perhaps rediscover a happy memory of your own.